System of mining coal.



C. A. CABELL.

SYSTEM 0F MINING COAL.

APPLIoATIoN FILED Nov. 15, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

C. A. GABELL.

SYSTEM OF MINING COAL. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 15, 1910.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\ CK if@ WITNESS/.

CHARLES ARNOLD CABELL, 0F CARBON, WEST VIRGINIA.

SYSTEM OF MINING COAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

Application led November 15, 1910. Serial No. 592,509.

To all whom 'it may concern: i

Be. it known that I, CHARLES A. CABELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Carbon, in the county of Kanawha and 'State of West Virginia, have invented certaln new and usefulvlmprovements in Systems of Mining'Cal, ofwhich the followlng is a specification. v

The present invention relates to a s stem for mining coal, and is in effect, a mo ification of the retreatinglong-Wall system and may be termed the b ook system of retreating long-wall.

It has for its object the safe working and quick development of coal seams at a minimum cost, and combines the advantages of both the ordinary retreating long-wall and that of the room and `pillar panel systems. It secures for the operator a regular and uniform output and concentrates the Work to a relatively small area. And with thus concentrating the area, there is a considerable saving of rolling stock, steel rails and motive power, over the old system now in practice, thus enabling a centralization of labor and better mana ement.

In the retreating ong-wall system, as usually employed, 1t is necessary to drive the main entries to the boundary line of the mine before getting any results, but this is an exceeding y expensive operation and can be borne only by the very strongest companies. It furthermore takes years to accomplish, while in the meantime the output is hardly suteient to supply the power plant; since thecoal obtained is only that gotten from the entries, and the cost per ton produced is consequently excessive.

In the arrangement proposed and diagrammatically illustrated herein, each panel or section iswell protected and worked entirel by itself, so that in the event of any loca disturbances being encountered in one district to' warrant a deviation from the system proper, such deviation -may very readily be done without effecting the least alteration in the other panels. And the full benets of the retreating long-wall system are obtained while the mine is being developed and the output well regulated; each panel giving very nearly the same number of tons of coal per day. l

In carryin out, the present system, itis necessary to ave in force a well established. and systematic round of operations, which must not on any condition be departed from. This s stem embraces a systematic method of tim ering, cutting, and haulin In the accompanying drawing w ich illustrates the proposed manner of working;

Figure 1 is a'dlagrammatic view 4of the entire system. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view illustratin three stages in the working of a long-wa l face; and, Fig. 3 is a plan View illustrating a section of the track sys- .tem for hauling.

In plotting the system a main entry or heading is first entered and this consists of three passageways 1, arranged in parallel and well protected by barrier pillars 2 of suiiicient width and which are disposed at uniform-intervals. The main entry has between each pair of pillars 2, a transverse passageway 2 through which communication is afforded between the several passagewigs 1 o t a o1nt approximately near the entrance o the mam heading are lateral entrances consisting each of. two parallel passes 3 which communicate with the main entry and which are protected by barriers 4 and communicate'by passes 4 after the manner described above. Extending from these laterals are side entries disposed parallel"with the main entry and to substantially the same extent in the mine. The side entries consist each of two parallel passes 5 protected through the medium"'o f 'pillars 6 and having communication by-ftlie usual transverse passes 2';

The main and side-entries have at .500 foot intervals cross entries 7 arranged transversely thereof and extending yfor' a distance of v'approximately 800 feet thus forming' blocks or sections A of coal 800 feet by 500 feet in extent. And with having a relatively large extent of Workin face these bodies of coal may beV mine form and expeditious manner. The s e arate passes of the several entries provi e the usual haulage ways and air courses. In' working these blocks or sections rooms are turned at the ends of the cross entries to run parallel with the main and side entries, such aroom being shown by the character B, in Fig. 1. These rooms give working faces for the long-wall machines which are kept in operation until the coal has been Worked back to the lines indicated at C, a distance of approximately 500 feet, when it 'in a uni-V of 150,000 square feet in area, for the is stopped, leaving isolated pillars D, each protection of the mine. The blocks of 500 feet square are then entirely worked outand being completely isolated in every respect, no possible danger can accrue'from the falling in of the roof of another block.

In the actual working of the ,longwalls a' track 8 for the cutting machine is laid about eight feet from the coal and kept at that distance from it progressively as the face retreats. Three or more tiers of timber pillars 9,- depending on conditions, are kept lined up with the face, the last row thereof being withdrawn after a eutis made and a new first row set near the face. The roof behind these three tiers of pillars hasno support and is allowed to fall, but is prevented from breaking too near the working face by the pillars. In each cuttingthe long-wall face must first be all lined "'up, so that it forms a perfectly straight surface at right angles to the haulage entries a't each end.

The machine is arranged to make a clean six-foot undercut,which is properly cleaned out for its full depth as the cutting proceeds, stays '9' are inserted from six to ten feetas required, to prevent the coal froln settling in a solid block. These stays consist of short lines of timber from four to six inches thick, and are removed just before blasting begins.

After the machine has finished cutting, and stays have been inserted Where required in the undercut, the'track is moved bodily into the new position for hauling the cut coal. A new tier of posts is then set upby the side of the track, and six feet in advance of the last tier. This leaves a elearance of tWo feet between the rails and posts. The back tier (fourth from the face), may now be withdrawn, and the roof allowed to fall in, thus relieving'of considerable weight the remaining three tiers which support the roofat the working face.

To facilitate the work of moving over the face track and connecting up the ends of the same, two curved rails are kept at each end so that the track may be readily laid and connected. A few short lengths of rails, approximately twelve and six feet, are kept at the entries so that when avfull length rail is taken up, these short seetionscan be laid to bring the ends exactl \7 into place for connecting up the curved rails from the face.

At a convenient breakthrough on the entry, (see Fig. 3) a spare parting 8 may be laid to accommodate machines, extra cars and to provide for other contingencies.

The trolley wires 10 are hung on hangers in the usual way about six inches outside of the rail'and always on that sideA of the track which is farthest removed from the working face. 'l`o `keep the trolley wires tight and secure at the intake ends,l and also to allow them to be coiled up as the face recedes, said wires are adaptedl to be carried on portable drums 11, and coiled up after each move.

The current used'to drive the motor over the tracks is carried from the trolley-wire' by means of a cable, which is coiled on a portable self winding drum and placed at 4the intake end ofthe face. The same cable is used for the cutting machine.

The system here proposed is especially well adapted for ventilation, which in view of the mining laws of some of the States enters into the operation of mining as an important factor, thus the mining laws for the State of West Virginia insist that the ventilation'should be-so arranged as to provide a separate supply of fresh air for every sixty men employed below ground. This necessitates the total volume of air entering the mine to be divided into various parts or splits. In this system this is done by placing a regulator in the return air course of each block, thus supplying' a split of fresh air for each block.

In the arrangement here proposed, the air always tends to 'sweep along the face, which, as it recedes, gives the air current a shorter distance to travel, and as there are no partitions or other obstructions, it has a clear course along the face from the intake to the return air courses. The intake atone end of the face and the air current at the other end are bot-h used as haulage ways y and consequently agood sectional area is used for the air current. Each block or face is provided with a separate vblast of fresh air by having over-casts 1Q at the course entries, to admit the return air into the main course entry, so that in case any face should fall in.the other faces would not be affected` as would be-the case ify the air was allowed to travel along from' one' face to another. The expression, it has a clear course along the face from the intake to the return air courses means that the air travels in a straight line along` the face' unobstructed. In other systems, it is necessary to carry the air in a ci'rcuitous route, up through one room 11d down another, it is conducted almost .,ltirely by brattices; this not only retards the velocity but at the same time affects very materially the volume as it is seldom possible to have perfect-ly air-tight stoppings. These difficulties are entirely overcome by this system.-

Regulators (not shown) are fixed in the air courses of each separate block, so that the volume of air can be increased or decreased according to the requirements. Under this arrangement door are entirely dispensed with throughout the mine.

ibut is claimed is l. A system for mining coal consisting in forming a main entry or heading into the mine, forming cross eut-ries extending therey entry.

2. A system for mining coal consisting in forming a main entry or headin into the mine, forming cross entries exten ing therefrom, at approximately uniform intervals andof equallengtljnto provide sections; forming long-wall working rooms between the cross entries in the sections on the sides remote from the main entry, then working the long-walls o fsaidvsections'for a substantially large extent of the area thereof, and leaving barrier pillars between the worked area and the main entry.

3. A system for mining coal consisting in formin'g a main entry or heading into the mine, extending lateral entries therefrom inv opposite directions, forming side entries from the lateral entries in the direction of and parallel with the main entry, forming cross entries from and at right angles to the main' and side entries to provide sections, forming long-wall working rooms in said sections between the cross entries and communicating with the latter whereby to isolate said sections, working said sections from the long-walls in the direction of the main entry for a substantially large extent of the area of the sections, and leaving barrier pillars within the limits of the worked area, the cross entries and their communicating entries. i

4. A system for mining coal consisting` in forming a main entry.` or heading into the mine, extending lateral entries therefrom in opposite directions, forming side entries from the lateral entries inthe direction of and parallel with the main entry, forming cross entries from land at right angles to the main and side entries to provide sections, forming. long-wall working rooms-in said sections between the cross entries and communicating wit-h the latter whereby to isolate the sections; and working said sections from the long-walls in the direction of the mainentry, supporting the roof ofthe mine progressivelyas the work is advanced and allowing the roof to fall at the rear of the worked area, and terminating the working of the sections to leave relatively large barrier pillars within the limits of the worked area, the cross entries and their communicating entries.

A system for mining 'coal consisting in forming a main entry or heading of parallel and transverse passagewa'ys having intermediate protecting pillars, forming cross entries extending from the main entry,at approximately equal intervals and of substan tially the same length, to provide sections;

said cross entries consisting of parallel and transverse passageways having intermediate protecting pillars, forming long-wall working rooms in the sections between the entries and on the sides of the sections remote from the main entry, working the long-Walls of said seetions,and the cross entry pillars in the direction of the main entry, and terminating said working to provide barrier pillars of relatively large area between the Worked area, the cross and main entries.

6. A system for mining coal consisting in forming a main entry or heading of par- Aallel and transverse passageways having intermediate protecting pillars, forming crossentries extending from the main entry at approximately uniform intervals and of substantially the same length, to provide sections; said cross entries consisting of parallel and transverse passageways having intermediate protecting pillars, forming long- Wall working rooms in the sections between the cross entries whereby to isolate the sections, conveying hauling apparatus through some of the entry passageways and utilizing other of said passageways for Ventilating purposes, working the long-Walls of the sections in the direction of the main entry, and allowing the roof of the worked area to fall progressively as said Working proceeds, said filling-in causing the venti ating current to iow approximately close to the wall worked as it retreats; and terminating the working of said sections to provide barrier pillars of substantially largeV areas Within the limits of the worked areas, the cross and main entries'.

7. A system for mining coal consisting in forming a main entry or heading of paral lel transverse, and diagonal communicating passageways having intermediate protectingpillars; extending lateral entries from the main entry, forming side entries from said lateral entries parallel with and in the direction lof the main entry, forming cross entries extending from said main and side entries, and of uniform length, to provide sections; forming long-Wall working rooms between said cross entries to isolate said sections, utilizing some of the passageways of the entries for hauling apparatus, utilizing other of said passageways and"l the room of the long-walls to provide circuitous air passageways, working the longwalls of the isolated sections, and the cross'ientry pillars toward the main entry# allowing the roof of the excavation to fall'..=progressively as the Work proceeds; and terminating said working to leave barrier pillars of substantially large areas within the limits of the worked. areas, the cross entries and their communicating entries.

8. A system for mining coal consisting in forming a room for ong-wall working face, undercutting said long-Wall and supporting the over-hanging body, thence withvanced; and withdrawing the rearmost sedrawing said su portsv and removing said' ries of tiers and permitting the roof to fall overhanging bo y, operating a conveying proressively as the work 1s advanced. apparatus adjacent the long-wall, support- T e fore oin specification si ned at Car- 5 ing the roof of the excavation made with a bon, W. a., t is 10th day o November, 15

series of tiers of pillars, movin the con- 1910.

veying apparatus to a position a' jacent'l the CHARLES ARNOLD CABELL. long-wall face progressively as the long- In presence ofwall is worked, erecting an additional tier E. C. HANNA,

10 of pillars as the conveying apparatus is ad- E. K. DANE. 

